Door-operating mechanism for railway-cars.



H. S. HART & F. SEABERG. DOOR OPERATING MECHANISM FOR RAILWAY was.

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APPLICATION FILED MAR. 19, 1910.

HE NORRIS PETERS C0" PHOTC-LITHQ. WASHINGTON, D. C.

H. S. HART 6: F. SEABERG. DOOR OPERATING MECHANISM FOR RAILWAY ems.

5 1 9 9 v. a M d w H m a P APPLICATION FILED MAR.19, 1910.

H; s. HART & F. SEABERG. DOOR OPERATING MECHANISM FOR RAILWAY CARS.

r0 1 9 1 E E H S S T E E H S 4 APPLICATION FILED MAR. 19, 1910 Patented Mar. 9

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H. S HART & F. SBABERG. DOOR OPERATING MECHANISM FOR RAILWAY CARS. v APPLICATION FILED MAR. 19, 1910. L1 m W6 Patented Mar. 9, 1915.

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"HE NORRIS FETERS CO. FHOTO-LITHO.. WASHINGTON, Dv C.

HARRY S. HART AND FREDERICK SEABE NATIONAL DUMP CAR COMPANY, MAINE.

HG, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNORS TO OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF DOOR-OPERATING MECHANISM FOR RAILWAY-CARS.

Application filed March 19, 1910.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that we, HARRY S. HART and F REDERICK SEABERG, citizens of the United States, and residents of Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Door-Operating Mechanism for Railway-Cars, of which the following is a description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which form a part of our application.

Our invention relates to mechanism for operating the doors of a dump car wherein the doors form a part of, or constitute the entire bottom of the car; and is shown applied to a car of the central dumping type, wherein the doors are arranged on opposite sides of the longitudinal center of the car and swing in opposite directions.

The object of the invention is to provide a mechanism that will be positive in its operation and whereby the doors at opposite sides of the center will be operated simultaneously through the operation of mechanism which is preferably located at the longitudinal center of the car; said mechanism being arranged to be operated, however, from either side of the car, as will more fully appear from the following detailed description.

In the drawings :-Figure 1 is a side elevation of a portion of a dump car with our improvements secured thereto; the doors being shown in closed position. Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1, with a small portion of the hopper-bottom, or rather the transversely extending member or hood, broken away to show the lever-operating mechanism. Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken on the line 33 of Fig. 2, looking down. Fig. 4 is a detail view of the leveroperating mechanism, which is shown located beneath the longitudinal center of the car, the mechanism being shown in elevation. Fig. 5 is a sectional view taken on the line 55 of Fig. 3, looking toward the left of said figure, with the body of the car and doors broken away. Fig. 6 is a sectional view taken on the line 6-6 of Fig. 3, looking toward the left.

To have illustrated the invention as applied to a car provided with the doors A, A, hinged at a, a, on opposite sides of the car so as to swing away from the longitudinal center thereof; the doors being of a well Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented llllttlf. 9, 1915.. Serial No. 550,365.

known construction employed to produce a substantially flat bottomed hopper, as is more clearly shown in Fig. 2, with the central transversely extending apex or hoodportion beneath which the operating mechanism is mounted. (See Fig. 5.)

Suitably secured either to the body or under frame of the car, and extending in a transverse direction, and on both sides of the longitudinal center line of the car, are the U-shaped brackets or tracks (1; the tracks on opposite sides of the car being preferably in alinement with each other as shown. Secured to these brackets or the frame of the car, as desired, and extending across the car, are the web-plates D. These plates are so secured as to leave an intervening space, as more clearly shown in Fig. 2. Rotatably mounted on the tracks or U- shaped brackets and extending lengthwise of the dumping sections, are shafts E, E, one shaft being located at each side of the longitudinal center line of the car, see Fig. 2.

The brackets or tracks C are preferably provided with the horizontally extending studs or pins 6, see Fig. 3; being shown in dotted lines in Fig. 2. These studs or pins 25 form a rack with which the pinions c, on the ends of the shafts E, E, mesh; a similar rack being preferably formed on the tracks at the other ends of the shafts, thereby causing a positive movement of the shafts when they are operated by the mechanism to be described. Also secured on the shafts, and preferably on the inside of the tracks, are sprockets (Z, cl,one at each end of the shaftswhich register at the top with the sprocket chains F, F. These chains take about the sprocket wheels G, G, mounted on short axles or stubs which have their bearings in extensions of the members C, and in the brackets H, suitably secured to the U-shaped brackets or tracks; or any other suitable hearing may be provided. These brackets may be secured to the members C, as shown in Fig. 6. The sprocket chains F, F, also rotate aboutthe sprockets I, I, which are both mounted on the stub-. axle 6; see Figs. 2, 3, and 5. This stub-axle is suitably mounted in the transverse member or arched hood as shown in Fig. 5.

Secured to the stub-axle e, to rotate therewith, are the ratchet wheels 7. f,more clearly shown in Fig. 5. Looselv mounted on the stub-axles e, is

the supporting sleeve 1w or bracket J ;see Figs. 2, 4, and 5. The upper end or sleeve portion of this bracket J is internally threaded to receive the worm K, mounted on the operating lever or shaft L. The operating lever L is free to slide through the worm or collar K, so that the end of the lever may reach or extend to the opposite side of the car; this transverse movement of the lever being limited by the pins, or other suitable mechanism, g, provided at bcth ends thereof, as shown in Figs. 2, 8,.and l. The collar or worm K is provided at its ends with the notches h,see Fig. 3which are adapted to receive the pins 9 when the lever L is pulled out to either side of the car, so that when it is desired to revolve the collar or worm K, the pins 9 will engage in the notches as is apparent from the construction shown. One side or end of the collar or worm K is also provided with the cam M, which engages in the slct with which each of the pawl-carrying plates N, N, is provided. The lower portion of these slots is made sufficiently large to provide play for the cam when the worm K is rotated, fer the purpose hereinafter set forth. These plates N, N, are pivoted, at 2', to the standard or bracket J, and may be of any suitable shape. They are cut away to adapt them to straddle the stub axle e, and have sufficient freedom about the axle to permit of their oscillation about the pivctal point 2'. At suitable points on these plates, and to opposite sides of the ratchet wheels 7, f, are the pawls j, pivoted on plate N, and the pawls is, k, mounted on plate N; the pawls j, j being intended to engage with ratchet wheel 7, while the awls k, 76 are intended to engage the ratchet wheel These pawls are all provided with the finger portions at the opposite sides of their pivrtal points which engage with the pins Z, secured to the plates, whereby their movement in the one direction is limited, as is apparent from the con struction shown. when the plates are in the position shown in Figs. 2 and l, the pawls j and is, at the same side of the pivotal point of the plates will engage with their respective ratchet wheels f, and f; but when the plates have been rocked or swung about their pivotal points at z, the pawls and is will be moved away from their respective .ratchets and held away by reason of their finger-ends engaging with the pins Z, and the pawls j and is will be moved into engagement with the ratchet-wheels f, The doors, in a car of the construction shown, are provided near their free ends with the downwardly extending cams or plates 0, which ride on the shafts E. E, and maintain the docrs in closed position; the inclined surfaces of these cams or plates 0, permit the shafts E, E to be returned to their normal or closed position. As the pawls on the different plates are intended to engage with the ratchet-wheels during different periods or intervals in the operation of the operating lever, it is evident that the pawls, for example on the plate N, must be mounted in a different horizontal plane from that occupied by the pawls on the plate N.

The operation of the mechanism is as follows:Lever L, by reason of the pivotal mounting of sleeve or standard J, may be oscillated upward and downward; the downward stroke, when the plates N. N are in the position shown in Figs. 2 and 4, will move ratchet f toward the left and retate chain F, through the action of pawl j, while the upward stroke of the lever L will actuate ratchet f, through the action of pawl 70, toward the right and thereby rotate chain F. The movement of ratchet f toward the left will of course compel the lower portion of chain F, with which the sprocket d, on shaft E, meshes, to travel toward the right, thereby rotating shaft E toward the right of Fig. 2, allowing the door A to open. The movement of ratchet f, toward the right, will rotate the lower part of chain F,with which the sprocket (Z on shaft E, meshes,toward the left and thereby also rotate shaft E toward the left of Fig. 9-, thereby opening door A. It is thus apparent that door A, under these conditions, will be slightly in advance of door A, to the extent of a stroke. The op eration of the lever L is continued until the doors are entirely open. In order to close the doors, the lever L is twisted or turned with pin 9 in notch h of the worm K. This operation of worm K, will, by reason of the internal threads in standard or sleeve J, compel the worm to travel toward the left in Figs. 2, 3, and 4, and with it cam M. The movement of this cam will rock or tilt the plates N, N about the pivotal point 2', thereby swinging the lower parts of the plates farther to the right, which is made possible by the manner of cutting away the plates where they take over the stub-axle c. This oscillation of the plates will move pawls j and 7r a sufficient distance away from their respective ratehets, so as not to allow the pawls j and 7c-( whose movement in the direction of the ratchets on their own pivotal points is prevented by striking against the pins Z) to engage with the ratchets. This oscillation of the lower portion of the plates N, N toward the right, also brings pawls j and it" into engagement with ratchets f and f respectively. The lever L may now be oscillated as before. If desired, the lever L may he slid through worm K. to the opposite side of the car and operated from that side, if operation from the one side should be impossible for any reason. The oscillation of the lever L,

downward and upward, will now force the ratchets f and f to rotate in the opposite direction from that in which they were r0- tated while the pawls j and is were in engagement therewith. The downward stroke of the lever L will now force ratchet f through the action of pawl lcon plate N to the left, while the upward stroke of the lever L will force ratchet 7" through pawl j on plate N,to the right. The movement of ratchet f toward the left, will,-through the similar movement of sprocket I,-rotate the lower portion of chain F toward the right; the lower portion of chain F, being in engagement with the sprocket d, on shaft E, will compel the latter to rotate toward the right and thereby begin closing door A. The upward movement or stroke of lever L will cause pawl y" to move ratchet 7 toward the right, rotating the sprocket I in a similar manner, being mounted on the same stub-axle e. The revolution of sprocket 1 toward the right, compels the lower part of endless chain F to move toward the left; thereby causing shaft PD -through the meshing of sprocket d,-with the chain-to rotate toward the left with the lower part of this chain. This movement of the shaft E will force door A upward. The doors are brought to a completely closed position by the inclined plates or cams O, mounted on the doors, which permit the shafts to travel the limit of the track-way. It is apparent from the construction, with the operating mechanism in the lastor closingposition just described, and pawls j and 7c in engagement with the ratchets 7" and 7 respectively, that the sprockets I and I, about which chains F F take, cannot revolve in a direction that would allow thedoors to open. The plates N, N, will maintain the pawls in this position until the lever and worm have been revolved and the plates swung about their pivotal points. The mechanism, therefore, in addition to the function of operating the doors, will also act as a lock to retain the doors in a closed position.

We have shown and described the invention as applied to what is termed a center dump car, but it is evident that it may be applied to a car wherein the doors are piv oted at the longitudinal center, thereby forming a side dumping car; and other alterations in minor details may be made without departing from the spirit of our invention. We do not wish to be understood, therefore, as limiting ourselves to the precise construction shown and described, but

What we do claim as our invention and wish to secure by Letters Patent; is

1. A car provided with downwardly swinging doors, members rotatably mounted beneath the doors and adapted to move in a direction transversely of the car and on op posite sides of the longitudinal center line thereof, means pivotally mounted beneath the car, a portion of said means being adapted to oscillate, a flexible connection between said means and the members on both sides of the longitudinal center line of the car, and means whereby the oscillations of the first mentioned means will force the members in reverse directions.

2. Door operating mechanism for the downwardly swinging doors of a dump car, comprising rotatable members on which the doors rest, said members being arranged to rotate transversely of the car and on opposite sides of the longitudinal center line of the car, means provided with a primary and secondary pivotal point and having operative connection with the said members, said means being adapted to oscillate about the primary point and operate the members, whilea portion of said means is adapted to oscillate about the secondary point, the oscillations of said means, when the portion is moved one way about the secondary point, tending to rotate the members on both sides of the longitudinal center line of the car in directions away from the longitudinal center line of the car, while the oscillations of the means, when said portion is moved the other way about the secondary point, will rotate the members on both sides of the longitudinal center line in directions toward said center line.

3. A car provided with downwardly swinging doors, members mounted beneath the doors and arranged to move transversely thereof, means pivotally mounted beneath the car and adapted to be oscillated, and mechanism pivoted on said means and arranged to have operative relation with said members, whereby the members are moved in one direction through the oscillations of said means when the mechanism has been moved to one side of its pivotal point, and in the opposite direction when the mecha nism is moved to the other side of its pivotal point on said means.

car provided with downwardly swinging doors on opposite sides of the longitudinal center line of the car, a member rotatably mounted on each side of said center line and beneath the doors, a rocking member mounted centrally of the dumping sections of the car, mechanism pivoted on said rocking member and having operative connection with the members beneath the doors, said mechanism being adapted when swung to one side of its pivotal point to move the members in one direction and open the doors and when swung to the opposite side of its pivotal point to move the members in another direction and close the doors.

5. Mechanism for simultaneously operating the oppositely disposed doors of adump ear comprising means, located on opposite sides of the longitudinal center line of the car adapted to travel in a transverse direction beneath the doors and have operative relation therewith, an oscillating member, and mechanism pivoted to said member and adapted to have operative connection with said means when moved to either side of its pivotal point, the connection obtained when said mechanism is moved to one side of the pivotal point compelling the oscillations of said member to force the means on both sides of the longitudinal center line of the car in one direction and open the doors, while the connection had when the mechanism is moved to the other side of its pivotal point will compel the oscillations of said member to force said means in the other direction and close the doors.

6. Mechanism for operating downwardly swinging oppositely disposed doors of a dump car, comprising members located beneath the doors and arranged to move intermediate of the longitudinal center line and sides of the car, whereby the doors are controlled, means adapted to travel in opposite directions between the longitudinal center line and the opposite sides of the car and having operative connection with said members, a member adapted to oscillate about a pivotal point at the longitudinal center line or the car, and arranged to connect with said means on opposite sides of said pivotal point, the oscillations of said member, when connected with the means on one side of said pivotal point, compelling the means on both sides of the longitudinal center line of the car to travel in a direction that will allow the doors to open, while the oscillations of the member, when connected with the means on theotlier side of said pivotal point, will force said means on both sides of the longitudinal center line of the car to travel in the opposite direction and close the doors.

7. Operating mechanism for the doors of a dump car, comprising means adapted to rotate about pivotal points located at the longitudinal center line of the car and the opposite sides thereof and having controlling relations with the doors, a member mounted on the pivotal point at the longitudinal center line of the car and adapted to oscillate, tilting mechanism secured to said pivoted member, adapted to have operative connection with said means, the relation between said member and the mechanism will induce the rotation of the means in a direction to open the doors when the mechanism is tilted to one side, while the oscillat ons'will rotate said means in the other direction and close the doors when the mechanism is tilted to the other side, and means whereby the position of said tilting mechanism is determined and said member oscillated. v

8. Operating mechanism for the oppositely disposed doors of a dump car, comprising means adapted to rotate about pivotal points located substantially at the iongitudinal center line of the car and at the sides of the car and in operative engagement with the doors on opposite sides of the longitudinal center line of the car, a pivoted member arranged to oscillate in the direction of travel of said means, mechanism mounted on said member and adapted to tilt to either side of the point of connection with the member and establish operative connection between said member and said means, whereby the oscillations of said member ill force the means to open or close the doors respectively, and means connected with said member, arranged to determine the position of the mechanism relative to the point of connection with the member and to oscillate said member.

9. Operating mechanism for the doors of a dump car, comprising members located on both sides of the longitudinal center line of the car and adapted to rotate beneath the doors in directions transversely of the car, means pivotally mounted beneath the car and adapted to oscillate, said means being adapted to have variable operative connections with the members on both sides of the longitudinal center line of the car, whereby the oscillations will either open or close the doors, and mechanism whereby the operative connections are determined and the means oscillated.

10. Operating mechanism for the oppositely disposed doors of a dump car, comprising' shafts located on both sides of the longitudinal center line of the car adapted to rotate beneath the doors and move in directions transversely of the car, a member pivotally mounted so as to oscillate, a pair of members pivotally mounted on said member intermed ate of the pivotal po nt thereof and its free end and adapted to have mo ement independent of that of said first mentioned member whereby operative relation is effected on either side of the pivotal point of said first mentioned member with the transversely movable shafts so that the oscillations of said first mentioned member may be employed to either open or close the oppositely disposed doors simultaneously.

11. Operating mechanism for the doors of a dump car, comprising shafts mounted beneath the doors adapted to move in transverse directions either toward or away from the longitudinal center line of the ca and on opposite sides thereof, a member pivotally mounted and adapted to osc llate. means adapted to move intermediate of said member and the sides of the car, mechanism mounted on said member, arranged to tilt and establish operative connection between names the member and said means, whereby oscillations of the member will force said means in a direction to either open or close the doors, and means whereby said mechanism is controlled and the member oscillated.

12. A car provided with dumping doors, mechanism for supporting and maintaining said doors in closed position, a member pivotally mounted and adapted to be oscillated, means pivotally mounted on said member and moving therewith, said means being adapted to have movement independent of'that of said member, and flexible means adapted to travel in opposite directions transversely of the car intermediate of pivotal points located substantially at the longitudinal center line of the car and the sides thereof, said flexible means having operative connection with said mechanism, and the pivotally mounted means having operative connection with said flexible means when the former is moved to either side of the pivotal connection with said member, the operative connection between said pivotally mounted means and the flexible means being such that when the former is moved to one side of the pivotal connection thereof and said member is oscillated the flexible means will be made to travel in a direction to compel said mechanism to move in a di rection away from the longitudinal center line of the car and permit the doors to open, while oscillations of said member, when said means is moved to the opposite side of the pivotal connection with the member, will cause the flexible means to travel in a direction whereby said mechanism will be moved,

in the opposite direction or toward the longitudinal center line of the car to close the doors. a

13. A car provided with dumping doors on both sides of its longitudinal center line of the car, mechanism arranged to move heneath the doors and control the same, a member pivctally m unted beneath the car and adapted to oscillate. and'means eccentrically mounted on said member and oscillating therewith, said means being arranged to establish operative relations between said mechanism and the member when the means is swung on its point of connection with the member and thereby indu e the oscillations of the member to move said mechanism in opposite directions to either open or close the doors 'on both sides of the longitudinal center 'line' of the car.

It. A car provided with dumping doors on opposite sides 01 its longitudinal center line. mechanism adapted to travel inter mediate of the sides and longitudinal center line of the car and controlling the position centrically mounted members being adapted to control the mechanism traveling on one side of the longitudinal center line when swung to either side of its pivotal point, while the other eccentrically mounted member is adapted to control the mechanism traveling on the other side of the longitu dinal center line when swung to either side 01" its pivotal point, thereby inducing the oscillations to force said mechanism to travel in the desired direction to either open or close the doors.

15. A car provided with dumping doors on opposite sides of its longitudinal center line, mechanism adapted to rotate about pivotal points at opposite sides of the car and concentric pivotal points beneath the car and having operative relation with the doors, means arranged to oscillate about a point concentric with the pivotal points beneath the car, members eccentrically pivoted on said means and arranged to have operative relations with said mechanism when swung to either side of their pivotal points, the one member controlling the rotation of the mechanism at one side of the concentric points while the other member controls the rotation of the mechanism at the other side thereof when said means is oscillated.

16. A car provided with dumping doors, mechanism for supporting said doors, a member piv otallv mounted beneath the car substantiallyv at the longitudinal center line thereof and adapted to be oscillated. means pivctally mounted on said member and adapted to have operative relation with said mechanism when swung to either side of the pivotal point. and mechanism wherebv said member is oscillated and the means adapted to be moved about the pivotal point on the member in order to'atfect the operative relation between the means, and the first mentioned mechanism so that the oscillations of the member will determine the movement of the first mentioned mechanism and the doors supported therebyr 17.'A car provided with dumping doors, shafts for supporting said doors. a member pivetally mounted and arranged to oscillate, means pivctally mounted on said member and adapted to have operative relation with'said sha ts when swung to either side of the pivotal'noint and therebv'force the oscillations of the member to either open or close the doors. and oscillating mechanism having controlling engagement with said member and revolublv mounted and operatively engaging with the means whereby said means mav be moved on the pivotal connection when said mechanism is revolved and the member oscillated when said mechanism is oscillated, thereby moving said shaftsto either open or close the doors.

18. A car provided with dumping doors,

mechanism rotativelymounted on both sides of the longitudinal center line of the car and controlling the position ofthe doors, a member pivotally mounted intermediate of the mechanism on opposite sides of the longitudinal car-center line and arranged to oscillate, eccentrically mounted means arranged to be placed in operative relation with said mechanism, and mechanism whereby the member is oscillated and the relation between said means and the first mentioned mechanism may be affected and determine the rotations of said first mentioned mechanism.

l9.l Operating mechanism for the oppositely disposed doors of a dump car, comprising means, located on opposite sides of the longitudinal center line of the car, movable transversely of the car and in operative relation with the doors, means operatively connected with the means on both sides of the longitudinal center line of the car and adapted to oscillate, a portion of said means being arranged to have movement independent of the first mentioned movement whereby a variable connection with the first mentioned means is eiiected and the oscillations of said second mentioned means will move the first mentioned means in a prede termined direction and operate the oppositely disposed doors.

20. Operating mechanism for the doors of a dump car comprising means movable transversely of the car and controlling-the doors, and oscillatingly mounted plates provided with pawls on opposite sides of their pivotal points arranged to have operative relation with said means, and mechanism for controlling said plates and determining the pawls to be thrown into operative relation with said means.

21. Operating mechanism for the doors of a dump car, comprising means located on both sides of the'longitudinal center line of the car, movable transversely of the car and controlling the doors, mechanism arranged to be placed in either oneof two operative relations with said means on both sides of the longitudinal center line of the car, and means adapted to be rotated and oscillated, for determining the operative relation of said mechanism with the first mentioned means when the last mentioned means is rotated, and the first mentioned means moved transversely when the last mentioned means is oscillated.

22. Operating mechanism for the doors of a dump car comprising means movable intermediate of the sides and longitudinal center line of the car and controlling the doors, an oscillating member intermediate of said means, plates pivoted on said member and provided with pawls on opposite sides of the pivotal point arranged to have operative energize relation with said means when the plates are tilted to either side of the pivotal point, and mechanism operatively connected with said plates whereby the pawls to be placed in operative relation with said means are determined.

23. Operating mechanism for the doors of a dump car, comprising means, located on both sides of the longitudinal center line of the car, movable intermediate of the sides and longitudinal center line of the car and controlling the doors, a member mounted intermediate of the means on opposite sides of the longitudinal center line of the car and adapted to swing in the arc of a circle, mechanism adapted to swing with said member and in the arc of a circle eccentric to that of said member, said mechanism when swung eccentrically forming operative relation with said means and thereby determining the direction of movement of the means when the member is oscillated, and a. member rotatively connected with said first mentioned member whereby the position of the mechanism is controlled and the first mentioned member operated.

, 24. Operating mechanism for the oppositely disposed doors of a dump car comprising means movable intermediate of the sides and about a pivotal point at the longitudinal center line of the car and beneath the oppositely disposed doors whereby the doors are controlled, a member adapted to oscillate about said pivotal point, mechanism secured to and movable with said member and adapted to be placed into operative relation with said means when moved in the arc of a circle eccentric to that described by the oscillations about said pivotal point, and means for controlling the position of said mechanism and to operate said member.

25. Operating mechanism for the doors of a dump car comprising means movable intermediate of the sides and about a pivotal point at the longitudinal center line of the car and controlling the doors, a member adapted to oscillate about said pivotal point, mechanism movable with said member and arranged to swing in the are of a circle eccentric to that described by said member and thereby form operative connection with said means, and means for controlling the eccentric movements of said mechanism and to oscillate said member, whereby the doors are either opened or closed.

26. A car having doors hinged adjacent the car sides and forming horizontal bottoms, means adapted to travel horizontally beneath the doors in different directions on opposite sides of the longitudinal center line of the car whereby the doors are supported and the load thereof transmitted to loadcarrying members of the car, an oscillatory member secured intermediate of said means,

and mechanism secured to said member, adapted to rock about the oscillatory point thereof, and arranged to form operative connections with the means on opposite sides of the longitudinal center line of the car, the rocking of said mechanism to one side causing the oscillations of said member to move said means and allow the doors to open, while the rocking of said mechanism to the other side causes said oscillations to move the means in a direction to close the doors.

27. A car having an unobstructed central longitudinal opening, doors hinged adjacent the car sides forming a horizontal bottom extending across said opening, displaceable supporting means for said doors, an operating device located intermediate of the supporting means for oppositely disposed doors, flexible connections between the operating device and supporting means, and mechanism intermediate of the connections and device whereby similar operations of said device will move the supporting means in different directions.

28. A. car having an unobstructed central longitudinal opening, doors hinged adjacent the car sides forming a horizontal bottom extending across the opening, supporting means for said doors movablv mounted on the loadcarr ving members of the car, an oscillatorv device located intermediate of the supporting means for oppositely disposed doors. flexible connections between the device and means, and mechanism whereby the oscillations of the device will move the supporting means in dilierent directions.

29. Operating mechanism for the doors of a dump car comprising a member on each side of the longitudinal center line of the car and adapted to rotate beneath the doors in a direction transverselv of the car, mechanism pivotally mounted beneath the car and arranged to oscillate said mechanism having a variable operative connection with the members, whereby the one stroke will move the member on one side of the longitudinal center line of the car, while the other stroke will move the member on the opposite side of said longitudinal center line.

30. Operating mechanism for the doors of a dump car comprising a member on each side of the longitudinal center line of the car and adapted to rotate beneath the doors in a. direction transverselv of the car, mechanism pivotally mounted beneath the car and arranged to oscillate in a vertical direction, said mechanism having a. variable operative connection with the members, whereby the downward stroke of the mechanism will move the member on one side of the longitudinal center line of the car, while the upward stroke will move the member on the other side of said longitudinal center line.

31. Gperating mechanism for the doors of a dump car, comprising a member on each side of the longitudinal center line of the car, adapted to rotate beneath the doors, means pivotally mounted beneath the car, arranged to oscillate vertically, a portion of said means being adapted to have independent vertical movement and establish operative connections between the means and the members, so that when said portion is moved in one direction, the downward stroke of the means will actuate the member on one side of the longitudinal center line of the car and the upward stroke of said means will actuate the member on the other side of said center line; the operation being inverse when said portion 01- the means is moved in the other direction.

32. A center dump hopper car having a horizontal floor composed of doors hinged adjacent the sides of the car, a shaft on each side of the longitudinal center line of the car and supporting the doors, an operating device pivotally mounted beneath the car and adapted to have operative connection with the shafts from opposite sides of the pivotal point of the device, whereby one stroke of said device will move the shaft on one side of the longitudinal center line of the car. while the other stroke will move the shaft located on the opposite side of said lon itudinal center line.

33. Door operating mechanism for the downwardly swinging doors of a dump car wherein the doors are hinged on opposite sides of the longitudinal center line of the car, comprising a shaft located on each side of thelongitudinal center line of the car and beneath the doors, an oscillatingly mounted operating device arranged substantially at the longitudinal center line oi the car and operable from the car-sides. said device having operative connections with the shafts on both sides of the longitudinal center line of the car, a portion oi said device being adiustable so that one position thereof will induce the oscillations of the device to simultaneouslv move the shafts on both sides oi the longitudinal center line toward the hinged ends of the doors while a second position of said portion will induce the oscillations oi the de ice to simultaneously move the shafts toward the free ends of the doors.

HAPPY S. HART. FREDERICK SEABERG.

Witnesses:

M. E. S'roUTnNBUnoH, W. J. RYAN.

Copies at this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Eatents,

Washington, D. C. 

